Residents have responded to the idea or a second busway in the city with “a mixture of anger and incredulity".

City Deal officials have defended plans for a Cambourne to Cambridge bus route, which is intended to reduce current bus journey times between Cambourne and Cambridge to 28 minutes (return).

It is hoped it will deliver more housing and more jobs over a longer period than its alternatives.

There has, however, been criticism. Transport campaigner Edward Leigh of Smarter Cambridge Transport, said: “I think it will be an ordinary road without guides or rails, but that means it has to be wider to make it safe.

“I find the plan odd because there is an alternative. Clearly, putting a route in what is a greenfield site will cause problems. It also begs the question of what the busses will do once they arrive in the city.

"Once the busses are on Grange Road, where are they going to go? All the benefits of cutting the journey time will be lost if you then spend 10 minutes in a queue when you get into Cambridge."

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Mr Leigh said the money would be better spent on putting in a park and ride site near the Girton interchange.

Coton councillor Helen Bradbury said local people's views were not being listened to.

She said: “Members of the Local Liaison Forum have reacted with a mixture of anger and incredulity at these proposals. Back in our June meeting, more than twenty Parish, District and County Councillors representing communities right along the A428 corridor voted unanimously to reject this route.

“This has been ignored, as have the views of thousands of local people who responded to the consultation. This is a very unpopular decision, and I predict a long and bitter battle ahead."

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Campaigner and FeCRA (Federation of Cambridge Residents' Associations) member, Lynn Hieatt said: “The option the City Deal chose to take forward is the one most objected to in the consultation, and has a very negative environmental impact no matter how it is dressed up.

“Thousands of people fed back a very loud 'no' to this unimaginative and unnecessary use of our tax money."

A City Deal spokesman said: “A new busway would see bus journeys times from Cambourne to Cambridge more than halve and a new Park & Ride offer quick trips into the centre for A428 motorists who currently sit in mile-long traffic jams on their approach at rush hour.

"While other options which had potential for greater environmental impact are not supported, further assessment and on-going dialogue with local residents, councillors and interest groups, will seek to identify a solution which meets the overall aims but minimises impact on the environment and communities."